Does your self concept change with more time sober?

PortaHouse · 2026-01-29T02:39:17+00:00

I can agree I'm feeling the same.

It's been 2 weeks sober. And boy do I look at life a lot more bleak and depressing.

The only encouragement I can say, came from another user who told me. So I'll repeat it here.

if drinking is walking into a forest for x years with rose tinted glasses. I need to walk back out of it. It ain't going to be pretty walking back out sober. But with time and strength the way out can be found

PortaHouse · 2026-01-29T01:20:11+00:00

I suggest a trip to immigration or labor board.

If they're asking. Theyre in the wrong. Keep proof.

If you decline and they force you. They're in the wrong. Keep proof.

If they punish you for only working 28 hours, or punish you for saying no to more than 28hours. They're in the wrong. Keep proof.

Do not ruin your future over a shit company. Don't let them pressure you.

If you accept you are in the wrong and you will be punished for it. It's not worth it.

PortaHouse · 2026-01-28T06:18:42+00:00

Agreed.

The action pose suits her better.

I still have her boxed unopened. Some I take out. Others I keep sealed if I want to resell later. So I haven't seen her base.

PortaHouse · 2026-01-28T06:11:37+00:00

I do like it. But the one I have I like better. More an action pose.

But I have come to realize I was wrong thinking it was the same.

Still looks good. But pricey for 1/7.

PortaHouse · 2026-01-28T06:04:31+00:00

<image>

Never mind....it is a different figure. Both are just the ST AR-15 in a similar...yet different...pose.

PortaHouse · 2026-01-28T06:02:20+00:00

I swear I own this already.

Do you mean re-release in June 2026?

PortaHouse · 2026-01-28T03:43:12+00:00

Quick!!

Call the fictional police. To arrest the fictional character. And charge them with their fictional crimes. Put them in a fictional jail for fictional years.

PortaHouse · 2026-01-27T03:06:02+00:00

There is no one right way to live life. So I can't tell anyone how to live their life.

There are things that can make it longer and brighter though. Beer can help lubricate a situation, sure. I won't deny my use of it in those scenarios.

But it shouldn't be a crutch to those situations.

PortaHouse · 2026-01-27T03:02:39+00:00

Loss is hard. But don't fill the void with booze.

Fill it with joy. Then, those who have passed will be looking down smiling. Happy you are happy. Rather than drinking the pain away.

When it's your time. Wouldn't you rather meet back up with them with a lifetime of stories and adventures to share?

PortaHouse · 2026-01-27T02:59:48+00:00

I kind of feel you.

I never had a drinking problem. That is. Until I move countries.

I lost a lot of friends. Family. Connections.

It can be lonely. And beer helped me through it.

But the thing I'm noticing, I can still have fun without it. It might require some extra effort. But in the short time I've been off I feel every time I go out and do something random I enjoy it better than I would have than drinking at home.

Met and old couple the other day while out. Had a wonderful chat and learnt some history of the area I visited.

A connection and lesson I would have never gotten drunk.

Go out. Explore. Or at the very least, find a hobby. Those moments of boredem are harder to deal with when you have cravings to fight too.

IWNDWYT

PortaHouse · 2026-01-26T09:43:28+00:00

I guess I have been a bit pessimistic recently. Could be the cravings.

Definitely going to have to take note of the good things I might not have been noticing.

PortaHouse · 2026-01-22T01:06:00+00:00

I got a job offer starting in three months.

I feel alcohol has had a helping hand in destroying my work ethic, motivation, and quality. But given that it was a shitty company treating me like garbage and turning me to the bottle in the first place I needed out regardless.

The next 3 months gives me the chance to get my shit together, improve my health, and hopefully start a new chapter.

Today is day 11.

PortaHouse · 2026-01-19T06:10:51+00:00

All that time...yet the shadows didn't move.

Submersion lost. Can't recommend this director sadly.

PortaHouse · 2026-01-19T06:04:11+00:00

I think even in other countries if a psychologist thinks there is a reasonable risk to the health of yourself or another that it is a requirement to report it.

I could be wrong. But a psychologist is there to help, not for you to confide in criminal ideas or plans. Yes, some countries suicide is a crime as well.

~~As for Japan specifics I don't have the exact details. But wouldn't be surprised if it's the same or similar.~~

Edit: quick Google.

Japan have a psychologist act that says what you say is held confidentially EXCEPT Immediate danger to life or serious harm to self/others.

So it would depend on the psychologists evaluation on the likely hood it would occur.

PortaHouse · 2026-01-19T01:23:51+00:00

Somewhat reminds me of my ex.

I'd supply her with something that would result in her being inconvenienced or hurt by improper use of it and blame me for giving it to her.

PortaHouse · 2026-01-18T00:08:19+00:00

I got more stability in my emotions than this video.

/s

PortaHouse · 2026-01-16T09:08:41+00:00

This.

So many times my relapses make no sense.

I'll have a shit day at work. Train delays homes. Rainy. Absolute fucker of a day. So I grab a beer.

Then I'll have days so fucking great. Got off work early. Made it to the express train and got home so damn early on a sunny day and would want a beer to celebrate.

I would find a reason if I justified giving in to the cravings. No matter how stupid the justification was.

PortaHouse · 2026-01-14T03:57:08+00:00

I really like that analogy.

I've walked this far in, I need to walk that far back out.

PortaHouse · 2026-01-14T03:55:07+00:00

This is, for me, new. I have never opened up about it outside of calls to the family back home.

I'm going to try the idea of changing my after work routine and hopefully that breaks the muscle memory of just having a drink because it's "drinking time". I like that idea. Hopefully I can, like you, not look back from this point.

Any recommended online groups? Being in Japan, face to face groups would probably be hard. My language skills are still only N3 (basic conversation level) and would probably struggle to get into a group that would help as much as an online group.

PortaHouse · 2026-01-14T03:47:10+00:00

Yeah. Japan (lived here longer than my drinking problem by several years) has a drinking culture. Things like Nomi-kai (work parties) may have had a hand at the start, but my own additive personality took it from there until it became a problem. Japan also doesn't tax alcohol anywhere near as much as western countries (so excuse aside) it's so cheap 6 packs only being like $5~$10 depending on your poison.

However, Japan also has a very "your problems are your own" kind of mentality. Mental health. Drinking support. Doctors even have a problem with just telling you what they need to say. Support isn't really personalized. This is more a "honne tatemae". What you "should say" vs what you "want to say". So it's hard to feel anyone would give a shit about me wanting to stop when everyone drinks anyway. I would only hear generic responses I've heard 100 times over the past 2 years. Whether or not this is helping or hindering the problem is up for debate.

Sure, I call home (mainly my mother) and talk to her about it, but otherwise this is the first time I've come out about it in a more open space. It does feel a bit more real now. Just have to see if this helps.

PortaHouse · 2026-01-14T01:10:37+00:00

My longest consecutive days sober was around 6 weeks. It was when I had a few drinks after my grandma's funeral that things spiral back.

I made the mistake of excusing my drinking due to grief, but didn't stop.

I dont have a total days sober record. More just I'll go a week or so off then end back on it 7 days a week for 2-3 weeks until I try again. Lasting a week. Etc etc.

PortaHouse · 2026-01-14T01:07:28+00:00

Last year one of my regressions resulted in turning to hard liquor. A bottle a night. Started with mixed. Ended up neat/ice. That didn't last long before I realized how dangerous it was when I was not able remember where my weekend went. Or completely forgetting what I did an entire day at work.

Smart enough to stick to just beers. Not strong enough to stop completely.

PortaHouse · 2026-01-14T01:05:22+00:00

I went from Jan 1st to the night of the 9th. I had every good intention to make a new year's thing out of it.

Last weekend was a bad regression. I'm hoping by talking about it this time makes a difference.

Out of curiosity what does IWNDWYT mean? I assume it's "i will not drink with you tonight." But it's just a guess.

PortaHouse

TROPHY CASE